Bowyer Banned

No surprises there then ... the Football Association rejected Lee Bowyer's appeal against his Boxing Day dismissal at Liverpool.

Bowyer was in the squad for Wednesday night's postponed clash with Charlton Athletic because United decided to appeal. But that argument was dismissed and Bowyer (who has been sent off four times in just over 12 months in a United shirt) will now miss the Magpies' New Year's Eve trip to Tottenham Hotspur, as well as the home game against Middlesbrough and the FA Cup meeting with Mansfield.